MAY PEN, Clarendon – It cost the May Pen Hospital $8.6 million in 2004 to treat cases which resulted form acts of violence for the year 2004, according to acting chief executive officer Nadia Nunez-Howe.

“Some 1,190 assault cases were treated at the hospital where 642 patients were admitted and discharged from the hospital consequent to injuries received while another 548 patients were taken to the Accident and Emergency Department. These 1,190 cases includes the treatment of 58 gunshot wounds, 124 stab wounds, 340 cases of intentional lacerations and 128 cases of sexual assault/rape including two males ages 15-18 years,” the acting hospital CEO said.

A total of 648 motor vehicle accident victims, she added, were taken to the Accident and Emergency last year.

Nunez-Howe was speaking recently on the topic ‘Crime: It’s Impact on Health Development in the Parish of Clarendon’ at a panel discussion at the Clarendon Parish Health Review for the year 2004. The panel discussion was held at the St James Methodist Church Hall in May Pen.

According to Nunez-Howe, in 2003 a total 902 persons were treated for injuries resulting from assaults, which she said was 32 per cent less than the number of injuries related to assaults in 2004.

She said it cost the hospital an average of $10,358 to treat one case of assault, noting that approximately $6.649 million had been spent to treat patients admitted for injuries while another $1.918 million was spent to treat patients who were not admitted.

She said that the cost of treatment used for assaults was an estimated 19 per cent of the $14.4 million allocated for drugs and medical supplies in 2004.

According to Nunez-Howe, this situation of having to spend more than half of the allocation of drugs and medical supplies to deal with injuries relating to assaults was consistent throughout the southern region where in 2002, $137.28 million was allocated and more than $68 million was spent to treat related injuries.

“Healthcare is expensive, we need to control our anger, and we need to control ourselves. It is our money that we use to treat our victims of violence and accidents. We can’t continue like this. If we’re going to continue like this, then the cost of Healthcare must be borne by every citizen. There is no free ride,” the acting hospital CEO told JIS News.

She said that violence and accidents had a cost and an effect beyond the immediate cost of treatment, which involved social work and psychiatric work, and which usually involved a lasting impact upon the nation’s children.